A plurality of electronic communications devices are known. So-called Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) terminals can, via an Ethernet connection used for communication, additionally also be supplied with a supply voltage so that the provision of a further connecting cable, in particular of a power cable, or a further, external power supply is not required.
Despite the fundamental benefits of a remote power supplying of electronic communications devices, such a remote power supply is, in practice, only used in a comparatively low number of communications devices, in which a local supplying of the communications device with a supply voltage is not possible or desired. This, among other things, has to do with the fact that, in the case of usage, as a rule, an entire communications network must be made PoE-capable, and the length of the individual connecting lines is limited.
In a full-equipping of a system board of an electronic communications device with all components required for a remote power supplying via a communications network, a loss of efficiency for the producer, as well as also for the user of the communications device, necessarily occurs.
Electronic communications devices with retrofittable PoE components are therefore known. For example, a subsequently-mountable PoE module with the designation “D3200” is available for the so-called thin client computer “Futro X” of the manufacturer Fujitsu Technology Solutions GmbH. The PoE module includes in particular a switching converter that converts a remote power supply voltage provided via a communications port into a local supply voltage. On the system board of the thin client computer itself, an isolating transformer for the decoupling of an Ethernet connector from an Ethernet module is present, which likewise is arranged on the system board. Despite the fundamentally modular approach of the known solution, the system board is still comparatively elaborate, as it includes at least several PoE-capable components.
It could therefore be helpful to provide an alternative construction concept for an electronic communications device, which preferably leads to a better energy efficiency of the overall system. Preferably, the communications device can be easily retrofittable from a local power supply to a remote power supply.